Stealing the Trees

After his abusive father attacked his mother, Patrick Liam Plod ODriscoll hit him just a little too hard, accidentally killing him. He ended up in prison for six years, and now that hes out, hes ready to begin a new life in a remote area of New Zealands North Island.But it seems Plod cant escape his violent past, and his dream of a rural paradise is soon disrupted. His only friend, a recluse called Dunny, suffers a brutal attack and dies of his wounds. His last words are puzzling: theyre stealing the trees. Plod doesnt know if the message was the result of delusion, or if Dunny was really trying to tell him something.When the police call Plod in, he thinks its about his parole, but its really about Dunny. Two men masquerading as policemen accuse him of killing the old manand then kidnap Plod along with a local policeman. They manage to escape, though now Plod is pretty sure Dunnys last message to him wasnt a bunch of nonsense.Things get even more interesting for Plod when Senior Sergeant Jill Boyd is called in to take charge of the murder and kidnapping cases. Sparks fly between the two, but danger still dogs their every step, and its anyones guess if theyll make it out alive.